


The Demon's Angel

by Heulo



Category: RWBY
Genre: Bumbleby - Freeform, F/F, Whiterose
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2019-10-16 09:33:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17547146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heulo/pseuds/Heulo
Summary: Weiss hadn't payed much attention to it at first, but as the weeks passed by she couldn't help but raise some red flags of concern. No matter where she went, she couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched. Whether it was in class, in work or even her own bed, she felt like something was there just... Staring at her.Ruby is a demon who must find an Angel in order to turn human again, whilst Weiss is just an ordinary human who has no idea as to how she got caught up in this mess.





	1. Chapter 1

Weiss hadn’t payed much attention to it at first, but as the weeks passed she couldn’t help but raise some red flags of concern. No matter where she went, she couldn’t shake off the feeling of being watched. Whether it was when she was in class, in work or even in her own bed, she felt like something was there just...  
Staring at her.

"Honestly Weiss, you're probably just paranoid. We have exams coming up so your body may be stressing out and making you feel as if you're being watched?”

The stressed teen had her fingers curled into her hair as she stared at Blake with tired eyes, her bags deepening with each restless night. “I think I would know if I was paranoid. This is something else. It's like no matter where I go I can feels eyes on me. What if it’s a stalker trying to work out my daily schedule just so that they can hatch the perfect plan to come kill me?”

Blake arched an eyebrow, “Don’t you think that’s a bit over the top?”

“Of course not! I’ve seen it happen all the time in movies. What’s there to say that it won’t happen to me?”

“Because they’re _movies_ , Weiss. Stuff like that rarely happens in real life.”

“Rarely implies a possibility-“

Blake held up a hand, silencing her, “Alright, look. We have two options here. The first one is that we can call the police and have them investigate it. If anything is amiss then they’ll sort it out, if not then that means you’re just going crazy.” She ignored the look that Weiss shot her way. “The second option is that you can try and confront whoever it is you think is stalking you.”

“And how do you propose I do that?”

“You’re on your own on that one.” Blake said as she sipped at her tea.

Weiss slowly took her hands out of her hair and let out a long sigh. It was obviously a terrible idea. Confronting a potential stalker could lead to a whole world of trouble. She was mildly offended that Blake even suggested it, considering that it could mean putting Weiss' life on the line. Just what was going through her head, she didn't know, but she clearly wasn't showing any concerns about the severity of the situation, which just made Weiss even more unsure as to what she was supposed to do. "I don’t know... I mean, calling the police sounds safer and more logical, considering that there would be no danger and I won’t have to worry about the situation any further, but...”

Blake looked amused, “But you want to know who it is and why, right?”

“Blake Belladonna, you know me too well.”

“I’ve known you since elementary school. It’d be a crime if I didn’t.”

Weiss gave her a faint smile before their discussion was interrupted by the sound of her phone alarm. Both girls groaned in unison as their shift had ended.

“I didn’t even get to finish my tea!” Blake exclaimed as she got up to toss the paper cup into the bin.

Weiss rolled her eyes as she began to tidy up their mess, “Blake, that’s your third cup.”

“Usually I would have had 5 by now.” Her friend grumbled, adjusting her yellow beanie in annoyance. Weiss couldn't recall the last time she had seen Blake without it and was fairly certain that it was in violation of dress code, but no one seemed to comment on it, so neither did she.

“Just 3 more hours and you can have as much tea as you want. If I’m feeling generous I’ll even pick up a box of your favourite on the way home.”

Blake perked up at that, like a cat who just found a good piece of furniture to dig its claws into, and made her way towards the staff room door, shooting Weiss a look of suppressed excitement, “I’ll hold you to that, Schnee.”

In reply, Weiss made a shooing motion with her fingers. Her friend then turned and left her in the staff room, where she cleared away the little mess that they had made before following Blake into the coffee shop. She tried her best not to look behind her as the door clicked shut.

Even though it had just been the two of them in the break room, she still felt like someone was watching her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I started this fanfic on Tumblr a little while ago but decided to move here because I thought it would be a better place for it (note that I have no idea as to what I'm doing-)
> 
> I'm honestly not too sure as to how far I'm gonna take this, so I guess we'll have to see!  
> 


	2. Chapter 2

Weiss’ shift ended at 5:30pm, an hour before Blake’s. She signed off and exited the coffee shop, waving at Blake through the large glass window as she left. She received a smile in return.

The evenings had gotten considerably warmer so she enjoyed taking the time to walk home rather than drive. There was something special about the way the setting sun would reflect on shop windows, or the hearty conversations that would travel in the breeze. It took away the stress that daily life burdened her with and it would have almost been nice if she hadn’t felt like eyes were still on her.

She allowed herself to pause for a moment and glanced around, eyes scanning for anything or anyone that may have been out of place, but everything seemed to be normal. She stopped herself from showing any signs of frustration and carried on. Maybe Blake was right and she was, in fact, paranoid? It wouldn’t exactly be the first time. The last time she was this stressed she had refused to contact anyone and missed out on days worth of sleep. Blake had to personally go to her house and drag her back into society.

Still, this wasn’t something that she could just shrug off. She needed to think of a way to deal with the situation, even if it did turn out to be her own imagination. It was certain now that there was no way that she could force herself to go to the police unless there was actual proof that she was in danger, they mightn’t even believe her, as what was typical for the law enforcement of Vale. There had to be a different way.

Thinking of different possibilities as to how she should go about it, she continued on to the small tea shop that she and Blake would occasionally visit. The two of them lived on opposite sides of the city, so Weiss would often do the favour of buying tea for Blake. Although it was only 15 minutes away from their work place, Blake always insisted that she never had the time to go there herself. 

Weiss rolled her eyes at the thought of her friend’s laziness, then looked up at the shop’s sign as she approached, ‘Goodwitch Teas’. The building itself was petite and not very outstanding, the overuse of various greens and browns displeasing to look at. However, the inside compensated for this as the walls were like bookcases except stacked with various teas. It probably would have taken her all day to count the different flavours. Despite not being much of a tea lover, the aroma was what certainly won her over. It reminded her of her childhood, when things weren’t so bad. 

“Why hello there, Miss Schnee.”

Weiss turned to the source of the voice as she entered and smiled at the sight of the shop owner. The woman had an unusual appearance that was somewhat appropriate for her workplace. She wore a white long-sleeved pleated top, with a tear drop like whole at her chest area, presumably to give her ‘some room’, or perhaps just for style. This was accompanied with a black high wasted pencil skirt, black stockings and knee high black boots. When they first met, she had a purple cape on her back that was split with arrows at the end, but she must of went without it nowadays.

“Good evening, Glynda.”

Glynda returned her smile and gestured to a box of tea to her right, “I’m guessing that you’re here for this?”

Weiss glanced over to the box of Earl Grey tea and nodded. It was like she had read her mind. “That’s right.”

The woman took the box from the shelf and made her way behind the small counter where the cash register was. She adjusted her glasses before tapping the price in, “How are you and Miss Belladonna doing these days?”

Weiss stepped over and waited patiently by the counter, “We’re doing well. Exams are coming up so it’s only natural that we’re stressing out, but... Well, thank  you.” She reached into her pocket for her money, but Glynda stopped her as she handed the tea to her.

“This one’s on me.”

“Oh, Glynda, I don’t know if I can take-“

“However, I have one condition.” The woman said sternly. The sudden change in attitude startled Weiss a little and she got the familiar sense of being scolded by a teacher. She waited for her to continue.

“Go home tonight and get a good nights rest. Remember to eat well and drink plenty of water. Take a break from studying this evening and do whatever it is you like to do.”

Weiss took the box of tea from her and rose an eyebrow, “Do I really look that bad?”

Glynda chuckled, “No, but you do seem troubled.” She pressed a few more buttons on the cash register and a small beep could be heard, indicating that it had shut off. “Anyway, you caught me at a good time. I’m done for this evening.

Weiss tucked the box of tea into her shoulder bag. “Thank you, Glynda. I really appreciate this.”

“It’s for your benefit Miss Schnee, not mine.” Glynda looked at her then with kind eyes, her voice motherly like. “You know, sometimes it’s easier to speak of your troubles rather than keeping them to yourself. Is there anything that you would like to talk about?” 

Weiss shifted on the spot, the use of Glynda’s tone familiar yet discomforting. What was she to say? ‘Oh, it’s not just exams that are troubling me, but a stalker that I’ve been dealing with these past few weeks.’ Glynda would probably drag her to the police herself and demand an investigation. She had always been strangely fond of her and Blake.

Keeping her voice level, she faked a smile that she hoped would at least be somewhat convincing, and casually waved Glynda’s words off with her hand, “No, that’s quite alright. Everything is fine, really. I just need to take up on your offer and get some sleep.”

Glynda eyed her for a moment, causing Weiss to think that she’d call her out on her lies, but instead she simply sighed and pushed her glasses up to the bridge of her nose, “I swear you teens these days should really take better care of yourselves.” 

“Our generation has been built upon the anxiety and stress of everyday life, I think that we’ve forgotten how to do just that.” Weiss said as she turned and made her way back towards the door. “But I suppose it can’t hurt to at least try.”

Glynda shook her head in disapproval, but said nothing more of it. 

Weiss said her goodbyes to her and left the tea shop, continuing on down a small side street. She was quick to notice that it was strangely quiet, especially for this time of the day. No cars passed and no one seemed to be in sight. The only sound that reached her ears was a small breeze, and she was highly aware of the sensation that someone was behind her. She picked up her pace.

She hated this feeling of being watched. It crushed her knowing that someone was getting an insight into her private life. It made her feel helpless and weak. Not once had she even gotten close to seeing who or what it might be, and that scared her the most. She was getting tired of being afraid. Glynda’s words suddenly played over in her head, almost taunting her inability to do just as she asked of her. Blake’s joined in too, demanding her to confront her stalker and get it over and done with, but her own voice argued back, scenarios of what could go wrong playing over in her head. 

But what if it really was just her imagination?

“Whoever you are, please... please stop following me.” Her own voice startled her as she spoke out to the empty street. Her hands clenched tightly to her bag and she forced herself to continue, hints of anger in her tone. Everything seemed to be happening in a blur. “At least have the audacity to show yourself! I’ve had to go countless nights without sleep because I felt like my own life was in danger! Do you have any idea on how that feels?” She spun around then and almost yelped when she came face to face with a red hooded figure.

Weiss stepped back quickly, her heart racing as she squinted to see past the sun glare that soaked the hooded figure. When her eyes focused, she could see that it was a young girl, maybe 2 or so years younger than her. The cloak that she wore covered up her chest and waist area, and further down all Weiss could see were bandages that ran up her legs. She looked just as surprised as Weiss was as the two stared at each other for a solid minute.

The hooded girl was the one to act first as her hands suddenly reached up to cover her mouth. Her silver eyes glistened as tears formed within them. The expression on her face seemed to change to a mixture of relief and happiness. When she spoke, her voice was almost that of a whisper.

“...Finally.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All feedback is greatly appreciated!


	3. Chapter 3

They sat facing one another in the dining room of Weiss’ house. She sat with her arms crossed and her expression stern, whilst the mysterious girl held her head down in shame, resembling a wounded puppy. Weiss knew that she was intimidating to her, such as the trait of a Schnee. This give her a small sense of satisfaction, considering what the girl had put her through.

Weiss had panicked and practically dragged the stranger into her home due to the scene they had made in the street. There was still no proof that she wasn’t some psychotic murderer and it was really only the innocent look on her face that compelled Weiss to bring her in. If word got to her father that Weiss was seen with such a suspicious looking girl then she would have to say goodbye to her carefree life. That was the last thing she wanted.

With her arms still crossed and her eyes narrowing, she leaned back in her chair and spoke slowly, “I want you to explain yourself. Tell me your name, why you’ve been doing this and one damn good reason why I shouldn’t be calling the police.”

The girl flinched at the harshness in Weiss’ voice and she shuffled nervously in her seat, her fingers playing with one another in her lap. Weiss had been given enough time now to properly observe her and decided that the girl’s dress sense was as strange as Glynda’s.The cloak that she wore hugged her figure, a silver clasp symbolised by a rose used to hold it. She seemed reluctant to reveal anything underneath apart from her arms and legs. They concerned Weiss the most due to the dirty bandages, that were in dire need of change, wrapped around them and the broken shackles on her wrists and ankles. She couldn’t help but notice that the skin around those areas were freshly scarred, as if it was the result of having fought against the restraints for too long. Weiss had to force herself not to stare.

“It’s... It’s not that simple.” The girl finally said, her voice meek as she refused to make eye contact with Weiss. She looked as if she was about to cry again, this time out of anxiety rather than relief. Weiss felt a twang in her chest, feeling pity.

She sighed and decided to go for a less intimidating approach, softening up her demeanour and even throwing in what could almost be called a smile. She had her sister to thank for teaching her how to read people, which always came in handy when she needed someone to talk. “Look, I’m sorry. I won’t actually call the police. I’m... I’m just very tired and frustrated, so I’d just like to understand what’s going on here. Tell the truth and you’re free to go. That’s all I want from you.”

As predicted, the girl instantly began to relax once she realised that there was no threat. She turned her head to Weiss, yet still couldn’t bring herself to establish eye contact as she stared just beyond her. She took a deep breath, nodded to herself for self reassurance and then spoke. “My name is Ruby.”

“Ruby?..”

“Just Ruby.”

Weiss frowned a little, but allowed her to continue.

“I’m probably gonna sound insane when I say all this, so I just want you to know that what I’m about to tell you is the truth and nothing but the truth.” She finally glanced up and Weiss marvelled at those silver eyes, “I- I’m a demon who mistook you for an Angel and decided to follow you home so I could request your help, but I didn’t know how to go about it so I ended up just sticking to the sidelines and waiting for the right moment. Admittedly, it took me a week of watching you to realise that you were just a human, but by then I had already grown some sort of attachment to you, so I couldn’t bring myself to leave and I-“ She faltered in her rambling at the look that came to Weiss’ face. It was something that resembled unimpressed and amused at the same time.

“You don’t believe me, do you?”

Weiss shook her head, “Of course not. Are you even listening to yourself?”

“It’s true, though! Why would I go out of my way to lie about something like that?”

She considered it for a moment and almost scoffed at herself for thinking that it could be true. “To me you’re just sounding like some measly girl who lost her way to one of those silly conventions. All I asked was for you to tell me the truth, and this is the garbage you come up with? I’m all for being patient, but this is just ridiculous.” Weiss stood up and pointed to the front door, “There’s no point in wasting my time anymore. I want you to leave.”

The girl tried to plead with her, but Weiss wasn’t having any of it. Ruby sighed heavily, expressing annoyance, then got up and allowed Weiss to escort her to the front door.

“You know, you really are lucky that I didn’t get the authorities involved. Take this as a warning. If I catch you anywhere near me or my property, I won’t let you off as easy.”

Weiss watched her walk down the path, hesitate for a moment and then turn to her. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes and when she spoke her words were filled with hints of anger and sadness. “There’s a world out there that you would never have thought existed! You’ll realise that sooner or later, and that’s a promise!”

“Goodbye, Ruby.” Was Weiss’ only response before she slammed the door shut.

 

———

 

“Stupid, stupid, stupid!” Ruby shouted to the empty play park as she kicked up the sand by the swings. Her cheeks were stained with tears and she still continued to wipe at her eyes to prevent anymore from falling. Things had certainly not gone to plan, if there even was a plan in the first place. She threw her hands up to grasp her hair, tugging hard in frustration as she proceeded to pace back and forth, her footsteps heavy.

It was supposed to be simple. Have Weiss finally acknowledge her, confront her and then everything would fall into place and she’d completely understand that Ruby didn’t mean to put her through all that stress and paranoia. But no! She was stupid and didn’t think the situation through, as usual, and now she was in an even worse situation. Weiss would be able to see her now, so sticking around would be out of the question, and it’s not like Ruby could just wander off in search of an Angel. Well, she could, but... She didn’t want to let go off Weiss so soon.

Ruby stopped in her pacing and hunched down, resting her head on her knees. It was a strange feeling that ignited her entire chest and fell to the pit of her stomach, one that tugged at her heart at just the very thought of leaving.She had been positive that Weiss was one of the Angels. It was all there. Her beauty was enough to swoo any mortal and have demons practically crawling to her doorstep. But the more Ruby had stayed with her, it was clear that Weiss was not who she was looking for. The life she lead was just all too plain and simple. Even when she went to that one tea shop she was completely oblivious to what was in front of her. She was just a regular human being. And yet, it was difficult to turn away. She didn’t know enough about being a demon to understand. Maybe the feeling that she had was just some underlying desire to devour Weiss’ soul and claim it as her own, but she couldn’t imagine ever doing such a thing.

She wiped at her eyes again, content that no more tears would fall, and took a seat on one of the swings, where she lazily pushed herself back and forth. Her mother would know what to say in times like this. She remembered all too well the comfort of her mother’s embrace after Ruby had failed to achieve something, the aroma of freshly baked cookies settling her nerves. She would always encourage Ruby to ‘never give up hope!’ or ‘look at it from a different perspective; is it really as bad as it seems?’. Her words were always a motivational boost. Ruby shook her head, smiling softly to herself as she imagined her younger self wracking her brains to put a positive spin on any minor incident.

“I suppose it isn’t all that bad.” She mumbled to a distant memory. There was still hope, even if it was thin. She had to be rational. It was only natural that Weiss didn’t believe her. What Ruby had proposed was ridiculous and too far front, and she really should have considered that Ruby’s reality was complete fiction as far as Weiss was concerned.

Ruby pushed down harder on the ground and proceeded to swing higher as new ideas sprung to mind. The one thing that was clear was that she refused to give up so easily. If Weiss wanted the truth, then she’d give it to her!.. In a new way that’d make it more convincing. She wanted to be friends, if possible. No more stalking. She’d have to make her see the truth, rather than just hear it. There was no way that she could reject her if she saw it for herself, right?

“I’m coming for you Weiss Schnee, just you wait!” She yelled with determination, and just when she swung high enough to almost be flying around the metal bar, shejumped and dispersed into a flurry of rose petals. 

Weiss slept soundly that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Tumblr is heulo-x if anyone is interested in following it. I’ll be posting updates for new chapters there (:
> 
> Hope that you enjoyed this chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning Weiss awoke to find herself basking in the beam of sunlight that managed to make it’s way through the crack in the curtains. She lay there, her eyes remaining closed as whatever was left of her dream strayed far from her mind. As always, she couldn’t remember what it was about. She allowed thoughts to come and go in her groggy state, until she zoned in on the one that highlighted the events that occurred yesterday with the girl who called herself Ruby. The night before, Weiss willed herself to think nothing more of it. That the nonsense she spewed was nothing more than immature lies. Yet, she still questioned what the younger girl’s intent was. Why put in the effort to stalk her for a few weeks only to justify her actions by something so ludicrous that she doubted Blake’s stories could compare?

 

With the knowledge that the answer wasn’t going to magically appear before her, she sighed in vexation and kicked the covers from her body, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and taking a moment to adjust her pyjamas. She pulled down her shirt that had rode up her stomach and hunched up her shorts that fell a little too far for her liking. It had been awhile since she slept so well, so she allowed the undesirable state that she had gotten herself in over the night slide. It almost felt unnatural to drift off to sleep without feeling like eyes were boring into her. Waking up without having to anxiously glance out her window and pull her curtains shut for the millionth time made it feel like she was missing something or in this case, missing someone.

 

Shaking her head, she got up and approached the curtains, throwing them open to allow the light to envelop her room that had been engulfed in shadows for God knows how long. Her eyes looked over the familiar sights that she was used to seeing the mornings before Ruby had decided to intrude on her life. Neighbours chatting with each other, exchanging gossip and everyday essentials such as milk, eggs, bread or sugar. Students walked by, in groups or alone, presumably making their way to early morning classes that she too would be attending that day. She was glad to see that the elderly couple who were never seen without each other still took time in the morning to sit on the bench across the street, arms linked, just to enjoy life for what it was. Weiss couldn’t contain her smile as she thought of the look that came to her father’s face when she had chosen a ‘lowly’ neighbourhood in Vale over the exclusive one in Atlas that was reserved for those of the highest class.

 

Feeling content, she turned from her window and retreated to the part of her room that was just out of view and stripped from her pyjamas, replacing them with clothing that she had picked out the night before. She sported a white shirt that was tucked into a blue pastel pleated skirt and flats. Her hair, which she didn’t bother to brush due to its natural softness, was put up into a neat ponytail. After fixing her bed and throwing her clothes into the laundry basket, she took her shoulder bag and made her way downstairs. She skipped breakfast, her appetite only really coming to her in the afternoons, and took the keys from the stand by the side of the door.

 

The drive to her school was a relaxing one. Weiss enjoyed not feeling as if someone was staring at her from the backseat, humming along to the overplayed songs that came on the radio. On any other day, she would have hated them, but today was an exception. She felt hopeful that Ruby would no longer bother her, content that she was finally moving past that obstacle in her life. If the girl had any sense, she wouldn’t come back.

 

But there was still something that nagged at her.

 

When Ruby had confessed to her, Weiss had noticed that her body language gave no tell tale signs that she was lying. Her posture had been open and sure she had been fidgeting, but her eyes seemed as if they were desperate for Weiss to believe the words that spilled out of her mouth. However, it was the the words that were the problem. She had never been on overly religious person, only maintaining the belief that something existed but as to what, she never explored or bothered to care, which was probably thanks to her father who held himself as if he were God himself. The topic of Demons and Angels was one that she was always skeptical of, and for Ruby to say something with such confidence was... Well, it was unbelievable.

 

With her mind occupied, Weiss barely noticed the 15 minutes that passed until she arrived at the college know as ‘Beacon’. Her and Blake occasionally joked over the name, stating that it was a beacon of disappointment and shattered dreams rather than one of hope. She smiled absentmindedly at the thought, and just as she pulled into her parking space she heard a light knock on the side window from her companion. She rolled down the window and her friend popped her head in, her arm leaning against the roof for support.

 

“You got the goods?” She asked with the attempt of a hoarse voice.

 

Weiss, immediately catching on, suppressed a grin as she glanced around with feigned anxiety. She grabbed her shoulder bag and held it close to her chest. “Anyone see you?” She tried to mimic Blake’s voice.

 

Blake shook her head and ducked back as a group of students passed them, none of which noticed them, and held out an impatient hand to Weiss, who purposely fumbled with her shoulder bag before pulling out the box of Earl Grey tea. She then thrusted it into Blake’s hands, watching with amusement as the dark-haired girl pulled back from the window and stuffed the box beneath her sweater. She couldn’t have looked more suspicious.

 

The two only managed to keep the act up for a few more moments before bursting into a fit of laughter. Weiss desperately needed this, in fact, it seemed as if they both did as they laughed until their stomachs ached. When they finally composed themselves, Weiss got out of the car and hit her friend lightly on the arm. “You are ridiculous.” She said with a chuckle and they both began to make their way to the college. Blake grinned and protectively hugged the box of tea against her stomach. “That I am, but I’m really glad to hear your laugh again. Ever since that person took an interest in you, you’ve been miserable. Which I can’t help but wonder...” Weiss glanced at Blake to find her looking at her with curious eyes.

 

“Yes, Blake. I spoke with them.” She admitted.

 

“And seeing as you’re still alive, it couldn’t have been that bad, right?”

 

Weiss opened her mouth to reply, but stopped herself as she hesitated. How could she tell Blake about the girl? Somehow, it felt wrong for her to expose Ruby’s confession. “No, it wasn’t. We talked and they explained themselves, then I excused them and we left it at that. I told them if I caught them again I would inform the authorities.”

 

“That’s it?” Blake sounded disappointed.

 

Weiss kept looking forward, “That’s it.”

 

They fell silent then. Weiss could feel Blake’s eyes on her, as if testing her resolve, so when she didn’t give in her friend merely sighed and looked on ahead. “Alright then.”

 

They only got through the front doors before the silence became too stifling, Weiss fully aware that Blake knew there was more than she had let on. She decided to change the subject for now, knowing that she would have to make up for it at some point. “How is Yang doing?” She asked gently.

 

Blake instinctively reached up to her yellow beanie and when Weiss looked at her she saw concerned eyes directed to the floor in front of them. “She’s been better.” She said with a slight sigh. “It’s been 2 months now and there’s been no sign of her sister. Yang isn’t handling it very well. She’s ignored my calls and texts, and I tried going to her house, but... You know how her anger is.”

 

Weiss let her words sink in, chewing absentmindedly on the inside of her cheek in thought. She had never met Yang’s sister, having only met the blonde brute a few months ago. They rarely spoke to one another, their class schedules never aligning. The only time that they ever met outside school was in the coffee shop that her and Blake worked in. Even then it was only idle chat, the blonde’s attention only ever on Blake. Weiss didn’t take it to heart. She just tried to support the two the best that she could. Blake was her best friend after all and Yang was the one who was there for her after Blake had broken from an abusive relationship that Weiss had no knowledge of. She had gone after Blake’s ex herself and they spared her the details of what was done. Weiss still regretted not being there for her, instead she had been stuck in a business meeting that she had no interest in with her father.

 

Steering herself away from her current train of thought, she rested a hand on Blake’s shoulder and offered her a sympathetic smile. “I’m sure her sister will turn up eventually. I may not know why she ran away or why Yang insists on blaming herself, but when she’s ready she’ll come home.” She gave Blake’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I just wish that you both would tell me her name...” She trailed off at the grimace that came to Blake’s face.

 

“Weiss, we talked about this.”

 

“I know, I know, it’s just, I want to help. You know that I have the resources that could make this so much easier. Not to mention that you both make the situation more suspicious than it needs to be.” They stopped by their lockers and opened them to grab what they needed, Blake putting the tea inside hers. Weiss continued. “Come on, Blake. Yang’s sister goes missing, you both do everything in your power to find her, yet you refuse to tell me her name for reasons that you both can’t even explain.”

 

The sound of the locker slamming shut startled her as she spun to her friend in surprise. Blake’s hand remained on the metal door, staring blankly at it. She blinked then and gingerly lowered her hand, turning to Weiss. “I’m sorry, I... it’s just better if you didn’t know, Weiss. Yang and I have already discussed this. I promised her that I wouldn’t say anything until she was ready. You know I can’t go back on that.”

 

Weiss merely nodded, frozen in place as she watched silently as Blake turned away from her, adjusting her backpack as she walked on in front of her. A frown tugged at her lips and she willed her shoulders to ease themselves, her thoughts beginning to race. She was used to being kept in the dark. Her family had done it to her her entire life with secrets upon secrets. Even her sister Winter, the only would who dared share anything with her, hid things from her. So to see the same treatment from her friends, the people that she loved, was heartbreaking.

 

Reluctantly, she collected the rest of her things and followed after her friend with narrowed eyes, glaring at the back of her head. Maybe Ruby was right. Maybe there was a whole different world out there that she had yet to realise.

 

Suddenly, the idea of meeting her again wasn’t all that bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I’m getting used to writing longer chapters... Go me! I’m happy with how this turned out. I’ll probably say this a lot, but feedback is very much appreciated so feel free to send it my way! 
> 
> Thank you for the support that I’ve gotten so far!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Geez, I haven't updated this since February! For that, I apologise. I've been thinking about this fic a lot, trying to work out how I want it all to go down, and I think I'm satisfied with the road I'm taking. If you have any feedback, throw it at me. I'm accepting of constructive criticism!
> 
> Anyway, thank you all for being so patient with me. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Her day went on just like any other school day, thoughts of the incident with Blake pushed to the back of her head. She attended her usual classes, which were mostly business and language related, and decided to spend the afternoon at the college’s running track. She sported a plain tank top, shorts and trainers and relished in the feeling of the sun beating down on her back, ponytail swinging in sync with her feet as they met the ground. Beads of sweat rolled down her face. She could taste it on her lips, salty and refreshing. It had been a while since she was able to do this and she was loving every minute of it, despite the slight ache from the muscles in her legs.

 

After her father forced her to quit fencing, claiming it was time for her to let go of childish hobbies, she went on to search for something that was an equal challenge for her body and soon found herself being introduced to running. At first, she hated it. Her legs weren’t strong enough to withstand more than 20 minutes without feeling like complete jello and she hadn’t a clue on what she was meant to do with her arms, but as time went on she adjusted and found it to be the most suitable form of exercise for her. She was in complete control of herself, being able to manage just about any pace, all while keeping a clear head. And that’s what she loved about it. Simply being able to take something at her own leisure without her father harassing her about it. It made her feel just that little bit closer to freedom.

 

The timer on her phone went off in her pocket and she brought her speed down to a light jog, her breathing quick but controlled. She allowed herself to grin, glad that she wasn’t as out of practice as she feared, and veered to the side where she came to a complete stop and rested her palms on her knees, eyes looking up to take in the welcoming view of the track. She was glad to see it again, this precious slice of life that had been robbed off her ever since that troublesome Ruby came into her life. She narrowed her eyes as the name of the girl popped into her head once again, her heart skipping a beat as she saw a flash of red suddenly appear in the corner of her eye. Panicking, she whirled around to the approaching figure but was relieved when she saw that it was only Pyrrha: The college’s top athlete.

 

“Weiss!” She called in her usual cordial tone, her lips holding a warm smile.

 

“Hello, Pyrrha.” Weiss said with a smile of her own and straightened as Pyrrha stopped in front of her. The taller woman embraced her, then jumped back before Weiss could even think of returning it.

 

“Oh heavens, forgive me! I forgot that I’m all sweaty.” She chuckled heartily, green eyes sparkling. “It’s just been so long since I’ve seen you, I thought that you may have broken an ankle or something.”

 

Weiss stuck out her leg and twirled her foot around, “Nope, this Schnee is still kicking.”

 

Pyrrha nodded, happy with the confirmation. “Have your studies been dragging you down then?” She asked.

Weiss shook her head, planting her foot back on the ground. “No, I’ve been managing my studies quite well, actually.” She thought of Ruby and decided that she could trust Pyrrha, “It’s this girl-” 

She watched as Pyrrha’s eyebrows shot up and she had to raise a hand to stop whatever train of thought the athlete was about to board, “N-not like that!” She stammered, her cheeks becoming flushed. Pyrrha was among the few to know of her interest in women. It was something that she didn’t openly discuss ever since a silly little crush of hers was confessed to the woman standing before her a few years ago. 

“This girl,” She continued. “Has intruded on my life these past couple of weeks and made it near to impossible to get out and do leisure activities without feeling paranoid. I finally got the opportunity to speak with her yesterday and if she knows what’s good for her, she won’t be coming back.”

Pyrrha rubbed her chin as she processed the words, “So the heiress of the Schnee Corporation has had her life disturbed by some mysterious stalker? I can’t say that surprises me all that much. Her intention wasn’t to harm you, was it?

“No, nothing like that, but I do worry for her sanity. I asked for the truth and instead she claimed to be some sort of demon in search of an angel, which is just completely ridiculous. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Yes, that… that is quite nonsensical.”  Pyrrha’s voice sounded hollow, her expression unreadable. Weiss watched as she glanced around her, as if making sure that no one was listening in. “Weiss, does Blake happen to know about this?” She asked, looking at her again.

“Yes and no. I told Blake that we spoke and that I was able to get her to go away, but left out those particular details. Knowing Blake, she’d probably seek out the girl and interview her to use in those stories of hers.” She joked, but Pyrrha didn’t share her smile. Instead she leaned in, her expression serious.

“Weiss, I really do think that it was a mistake not to tell Blake about this. People like that are… well, they’re deeply troubled. Once they’re set on something, they won’t give up until it’s theirs. I don’t believe a few stern words will be enough to keep this girl away.”

Weiss took a few steps back, her eyes narrowing at Pyrrha. “Just what exactly are you saying?” 

 

“I’ve dealt with these kinds of people before. People who claim that there are demons and angels and all other sorts of crazy things. They’re fanatics, completely deranged and very dangerous.” She frowned then, her eyes looking over Weiss. “It concerns me that they’ve found their way to you. They usually don’t target-” Pyrrha cut herself off then shook her head. “Goodness, what am I even saying?”

Weiss hadn’t realised that her heart was racing so fast until now. Her jaw was slacked, every last word that Pyrrha said engraved in her head. Just how did her friend know about this? Was she stalked too? What did Blake have to do with any of it? So many questions raced through her mind at that moment, questions that would go by unanswered as Pyrrha glanced at her watch. 

“I need to get back to my training. Don’t think too much on what I said, alright? If you discuss it with Blake she’ll explain all that you need to know.” She gave a small wave, then jogged off without another word. Weiss watched as that jog progressed into a sprint, then tentatively made her way back to the changing rooms where she took a longer shower than usual.

She changed back into her casual clothes, then left the school and headed towards her car. Blake wasn’t waiting for her there, which didn’t surprise her all that much considering the discussion that they had earlier. Her friend always had a habit of running away from her problems rather than addressing them, something that Weiss could relate to and understand. It was just frustrating when it meant that none of their arguments were resolved, most of them being left in the open only to be eventually forgiven and forgotten. Though, that wasn’t always the case.

Weiss slipped into her car and sat there for a moment, watching other students pass her to head home for the day after finishing their classes. Just when she thought that the situation with Ruby was over and done with, more problems had surfaced. It was like taking a jigsaw box and flipping it over, the contents becoming scattered and left to be put back together again. Though, in this case, there was definitely a few pieces missing. It was like everyone knew something that she didn’t, further proving that no matter where she went or who she spoke to, there would be secrets kept from her.

A frustrated groan escaped her and she hit her head against the steering wheel, ignoring the yelps of surprise from students as the horn sounded. They scoffed at her, one of them flipping her off, then carried on. Reluctantly, she put the key into the ignition and raised her head again, her bangs now messy. The car purred to life and she pulled out of the school parking lot, making her way to work. She took her usual shortcut, which was down a quiet road lined with the most beautiful trees on either side. The summer sun split through them to light the way, acting as a gentle reminder that everything wasn’t as bad as it seemed. 

 

She took her eyes away from the road for a moment to turn on the radio. She flicked through a few channels before she found one that she liked, a lively song by a band she didn’t recognise filling the silence. Her eyes returned to the road again and the world slowed down. 

Her vision was filled with red.

 There was a sickening ‘thud’ as her car collided with whatever had entered the road and her body lurched forward as she slammed down on the breaks, the car sliding slightly to the side as it came to an abrupt stop. Her hands gripped the steering wheel, eyes wide and fixated on the bonnet of her car. The metal was freshly dented from the impact. She didn’t want to look, but from the corner of her eye she could see the figure that lay motionless on the ground a few metres away. Music continued to play from the radio, reaching its climax. The liveliness of the tune taunted the utter horror that she was experiencing. 

Her hands suddenly released themselves from the steering wheel. She blinked and stared at them as they trembled unnaturally. Her body worked ahead of her mind as she quickly turned off the ignition and exited the car. With legs feeling like jello, she cautiously approached the unmoving form that lay on the road. She knew who it was, but couldn’t find her name among the many thoughts that crossed her mind at that moment. It was the girl who Weiss turned away the day before. She recognised that red cloak of hers, those chains and bandages that were wrapped around her arms and legs, and that unmistakable aroma of roses that still lingered in her house. Now the smell made her sick to her stomach.

From what she could see as she got closer, there was no blood. Which was strange considering the force of the impact. She wasn’t an expert on hitting people with cars, but there should have at least been  _ some _ blood, unless the bleeding was eternal. She licked her lips, finding her voice. “Can you hear me?” Weiss croaked.

No response.

She bent down, reached forward and pressed her fingers to the younger girl’s neck, checking for a pulse. A sigh of relief escaped her when she found one, though it was faint. She looked around her to see if anyone could assist her and cursed herself when she realised that not a single soul was in sight. She got up and ran back to the car, the music having switched to something slow and relaxing. She fumbled around for her phone, found it and immediately dialled 911, getting back out of the car to approach the girl whose name she still couldn’t place.

“911, what is your emergency?” The operator asked.

Weiss chewed on the inside of her cheek, her eyes trained on the girl she had hit. There was no noticeable wounds that she could see, which explained why there was no blood. 

 

_ How was that possible? _

 

“Hello, I’m with an injured girl who I just accidentally hit with my car. She’s currently unresponsive and requires an ambulance.”

“What is your location, ma’am?”

Her eyes closed as she racked her brain, trying to think of the name of the road among her panicked thoughts. She traced back to the college, followed the road to where she was, visualised the sign in her head where the answer lay and focused on the words.

“It’s-” She was interrupted as a hand came up to swipe the phone from her grasp. Mouth agape, she watched as the brunette tossed the phone across the road. The device smashed against the concrete and skittered away.

“What- Are you crazy?!” Weiss shrieked as the girl turned to her with a wide smile. She hadn’t noticed before, but her teeth were abnormally sharp, almost like fangs. Her name suddenly came to mind and Weiss remembered that it was Ruby. It was Ruby that she had hit with her car. 

“Surprise! I’m okay!” Ruby said enthusiastically, her arms raised in the air.

“How? I just hit you with my car while going at least 25 miles per hour, how could you possibly be okay? You were unconscious!”

“No, I was playing pretend.” She corrected. 

Weiss stared at Ruby as she stood up and brushed down her cloak with her hands, checking herself to make sure that nothing was torn. She adjusted a few bandages that became loose and continued speaking. “I needed to get your attention  _ somehow _ . This seemed like the best way to go about it.”

“By getting me to hit you with my car?..”  Weiss couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“Yep! I needed to prove to you that I was telling the truth. If I was a human, then I wouldn’t be up and about right now. I’d be on the ground, either unconscious or cursing the heavens for the pain that I’d be experiencing. Yet, look at me. Not a cut or bruise in sight.” She held out her arms to prove her point, even though nothing could be seen under the dirty bandages.

Weiss nodded, turned and began walking away from her, heading towards her car. Her face was paler than ever. Ruby scampered after her, arms flailing. “W-wait! Where are you going?”

“As far away from  _ you _ as I possibly can.” 

 

She got into her car and slammed the door shut, quickly twisting the keys in the ignition. Ruby’s face dropped and Weiss jumped as the brunette hopped over the bonnet, coming to the passenger side of the car. She got in beside Weiss before she could lock the doors, infuriating her even more as she buckled her seatbelt.

“Ruby, get out of my car or so help me I’ll!-”

“You’ll what?” Ruby interrupted. “Call the police, tell them a demon you just ran over won’t get out of your car?”

“You’re not a demon.” Weiss growled, turning to her.

“Then what am I, Weiss? You just hit me with your car, for gods’ sake. Are you really so stubborn that you won’t even accept the truth when it’s right in front of you?”

“I don’t know  _ what _ you are, but a demon isn’t it.” She said, though she wasn’t entirely sure that she believed her own words.

Ruby thrust her hand in front of Weiss’ face and turned it so that she could see her palm. There was a symbol there that looked as if it had been carved into Ruby’s flesh. “ _ This _ ,” she said, “is what marks me as a demon. What you see right now is my human form. I’m weaker in this state, but my body can still withstand substantial harm. That’s why the impact from your car didn’t hurt me. If you were going faster, I mean  _ much _ faster, then I wouldn’t be as unscathed.” She withdrew her hand and covered it with a bandage.

“My God.” Weiss breathed, “You’re from a cult.”

“What? No! Were you even listening to me?” She slumped back against the passenger seat and crossed her arms, sinking into her cloak. “I swear, I’m starting to think this was all a big mistake.” She grumbled.

“Does that mean you’ll get out of my car now?” 

Ruby frowned at her, “Okay maybe not  _ that _ much of a mistake.” She glanced at the car radio, noticed the time. “Not to change the subject or anything, but you’re 10 minutes late for work.”

“Shit!” Weiss cursed then gripped the steering wheel. She put the car in drive, moved forward and straightened it out, trying to ignore the ugly dent on the bonnet and the thoughts on how she was going to explain paying the expenses to her father. 

From beside her with her arms still crossed, Ruby smiled smugly and rested her legs on top of the car’s dashboard, seeming to enjoy whatever song the radio had switched to.

“When we stop I want you to get the hell out of my car. You’re to turn away and never bother me again.” Weiss said angrily.

“Hmm, no promises!” Ruby hummed and the two carried on in silence while Weiss seethed.

  
  


 

 


	6. Chapter 6

They pulled into a parking reserve across the street from her workplace. Weiss pulled the keys from the ignition and stepped out, shutting the door with force. Silver eyes followed her as she flounced to the front of the car, examining the damage that was done. She put a hand on the dent in the metal as if to confirm that it was truly there, her lips thinning as she then made her way to the passenger side door and yanked it open, stepping aside to let Ruby out. The brunette reluctantly did so and Weiss looked at her expectantly.

 

“Well? Get walking. I don’t have time for anymore of your childish games.” She said irritably.

 

Ruby scrunched up her nose and furrowed her eyebrows, determined not to give up so easily. “I already told you Weiss, I’m not leaving. You’re stuck with me whether you like it or not.”

 

“So what, you’re just going to follow me around like some kind of puppy?”

 

“Yep!” Ruby replied, popping the ‘p’.

 

Weiss sucked in her cheeks, doing her best to quel her anger. She couldn’t believe the audacity of this girl. What would her co-workers think of her bringing in someone so tacky? She looked homeless for God’s sake. She patted the pocket that her phone was supposed to be in to check the time and sighed in frustration as she remembered that Ruby had smashed it.

 

“I don’t have time for this.”

 

She span around and hurriedly made her way to the coffee shop. Ruby followed without hesitation, blatantly pleased with the fact that Weiss wasn’t in a position to argue with her.

 

She would just have to deal with her later.

 

Weiss pushed the door open and they were met with the welcoming aroma of coffee. It played with the scent of roses behind her, a not so friendly reminder that she was probably going to be stuck with Ruby for the duration of her shift. The walls were the colour of ivory and complemented the furniture that was made from mahogany. It was relatively quiet, as what was typical for a Wednesday. An elderly couple sat by the window, sipping their drinks contently and a few of the regulars occupied different seats around the shop. A young man browsed the books on display on one of the shelves, humming along to the tune that played on the radio. The serenity within the atmosphere failed to dampen her irate mood.

 

Dashing up to the coffee bar, she quickly grabbed her work apron and hat and made her way around the counter to where Ren was placing a few baked goods behind the transparent glass, not seeming to notice Ruby who bounced over to a couch in the corner of the shop. She flopped down on it and picked up a comic book from one of the racks.

 

“Ren, I’m so sorry. I completely lost track of time.” Weiss said, hastily tying the strings of the apron behind her back. She adjusted her hat and swapped places with him at the counter.

 

“No need to apologise, we weren’t all that busy.” He replied, smiling patiently. He placed his own work attire on the hook under his name. “Just be thankful that Nora wasn’t taking this shift.” He continued with a chuckle.

 

“Oh God, don’t remind me.” Weiss rolled her eyes at the memory, the corner of her lips curling upwards. 

 

It was one of the few days that she had been late for work. Late classes had gone on longer than usual and she missed a few turns to the coffee shop, still relatively new to the area. She ended up being 45 minutes late and Nora, who was meant to be going on her first date with Ren that day, almost throttled her as soon as she walked through the door. From then on she made it a habit to memorise Nora’s work schedule and even switched her classes to the morning time.

 

Ren jingled his car keys in his hands, his eyes playful as he mused over the memory. “She still talks about it, you know. Swears that if it ever happens again she won’t go as easy on you.” 

 

Weiss shuddered at the thought of encountering Nora once again. She avoided the boisterous girl as much as she could for a reason. “That girl really loves her dates, huh.” She mumbled.

 

“Oh, you have no idea.” He breathed, then gave her a caring look. “Which makes me wonder, is everything alright? You’re usually never late.”

 

She drummed her fingers against the counter, eyes darting to where Ruby sat on the couch. Silver eyes caught her own and she was given a quick wave before the other continued with her comic book. Weiss let out a sigh, not liking that she had to tell a lie to the most trustworthy person that she knew.

 

“I… hit another car when trying to leave the college’s parking lot. It was nothing extreme, just a small bump. The other student was insistent on giving me an earful as I tried to give them my details.”

 

Ren nodded, thankfully not catching on to the lie. “Well, I’m glad that you’re alright. I’m not sure what I would have done if you didn’t show up.” His phone buzzed in his pocket and he checked the caller. Though it was subtle, she could see the hint of glee that sparkled in his eyes and could only guess that it was Nora.

 

“I’ll see you later, Weiss.” He said with a wave and left the coffee shop, leaving her to her thoughts. 

 

A frown tugged at her lips when she realised that Ren hadn’t commented on Ruby. It was strange considering that he was so observant. Her eyes trailed to the brunette once more who was now laying stomach flat on the couch, her legs up and kicking at the air, intrigued silver eyes scanning over whatever comic she was reading. She stuck out like a sore thumb, a red smear on a white canvas. 

 

She mulled over the possibility that he was respecting her privacy, never being the nosy type and only questioning when necessary, or perhaps he simply didn’t see her?.. It was unlikely, but it was what she had to settle with if she wanted to keep her hair in one piece.

 

Weiss’ shift passed by slower than she would have liked. Very few customers came and those who had occupied the shop when she had arrived were now gone. She cleaned the place twice, wiping down tables as if her life depended on it and hunted down every speck of dust she could find on the floor with a brush. When there was nothing more she could sweep up, she sat the brush back among the cleaning supplies and returned back to the coffee bar, confident that any lingering dust bunnies wouldn’t dare stray from their hiding places for a long time to come.

 

She purposely avoided the corner of the shop that Ruby was in, not sure if she wanted to strike up a conversation with her. The supposed demon appeared to be making herself _too_ comfortable as Weiss noticed that the area seemed to change every half hour. The couch had been turned ever so slightly to face the coffee bar and the pillows on top of it were now surrounding Ruby as she built some kind of fort around herself. On any other day, Weiss would have intervened, but seeing as the shop was empty she decided to leave her be.

 

It was rather comedic watching a tuft of red tinged brunette hair pop out between the pillows, along with a face that hosted a goofy smile whenever her eyes locked with Weiss’. She would scoff and turn away, reminding herself that she was meant to be upset with Ruby for her ridiculous claims, along with the distress she had put her through and now the damage that was done to her car and phone, but that was difficult when she was the only thing keeping her entertained throughout her shift.

 

It was 20 minutes before her shift ended when the fort was reduced to shambles. Ruby jumped up, sending pillows flying to the floor. The chains on her wrists jingled as she rolled her shoulders and reached up, arching her back. An audible popping noise could be heard and a grin was shot her way as Weiss huffed out a noise of disgust. Ruby then strode over to her, putting her hands on the counter and patting it excitedly, like a child who was about to get their favourite treat.

 

Weiss arched a white eyebrow at her, “What do you want?”

 

“Hey, you can’t speak to a customer like that!” Ruby pouted, momentarily stopping her patting.

 

“You haven’t bought anything.”

 

“I was waiting for the right moment.” She said with a shrug, “I didn’t want to bother you when you were working.”

 

“I’m still working, and right now you’re bothering me.” Weiss glowered.

 

Ruby paused, huffed, then decided to ignore the comment as she reached into her pockets. Her cloak rid over her shoulder as she did so, allowing Weiss to catch a glimpse of the clothing that she wore underneath. She wore a dirty dark grey shirt that had a faded cookie with a bite taken out of it printed on the front. The hem was tucked into a pair of torn denim knee length shorts that she pulled money out from the pockets. Both articles of clothing had questionable splotches of red on them. The sight made Weiss swallow hard and she focused on Ruby’s face instead, an uneasy feeling stirring in her stomach. 

 

If the blood didn’t come from her hitting Ruby with her car, then what?..

 

The brunette seemed oblivious to Weiss’ concerned gaze as she slapped the money down on the counter, her tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth as she counted the cards. Weiss could see that a few of them were chipped and knew that even if she scanned them, they had already lost their value.

 

“What can 100 Lien get me?” Ruby asked, her eyes already scanning the menu above Weiss’ head. She didn’t seem to realise that the cards were unreadable. (100 Lien = $10).

 

Weiss opened her mouth to inform her that she wouldn’t be able to able to take her money, but quickly clacked her mouth shut as Ruby slapped her hands against the glass that the baked goods sat behind, her eyes lighting up. “Cookies! Oh my gosh, it’s been so long since I’ve had some! Can I get those, please?” She asked excitedly.

 

Dammit. How could she say no to that?

 

“Of course.” 

 

She picked the Lien up from the counter and took advantage of Ruby’s distraction by slipping the money into her skirt pocket. She used a pair of tongs to take out 4 chocolate chip cookies and sat them on a small plate, sliding it over to Ruby.

 

“Would you like anything to drink with that?” Weiss asked.

 

“Mocha!” Ruby replied, her voice muffled by the cookie she was shoving into her mouth. She hopped happily on the spot, not holding back her moan at the taste.

 

Weiss rolled her eyes at the display of poor manners and placed a large cup under the coffee machine, tapping on the mocha option and letting technology do its work. As the warm liquid poured into the cup, she turned back to the cash register and punched in the price, quickly swiping her credit card over the card reader and completing the purchase. Ruby was too wrapped up in cookie heaven to notice.

 

She turned back to the cup, the machine having poured in the specified amount of mocha, and brought it to the side where she topped it off with cream and a sprinkle of chocolate powder, then turned and handed it over to Ruby who immediately gulped it.

 

“Careful, it’s hot!” Weiss cried in alarm, and Ruby looked at her for a moment with a quizzical look on her face before a sly smile played on her lips.

 

“Aww, are you worried that I’ll burn myself?” She teased, then took another swig from the drink before she continued, “I’m a Demon, remember? It doesn’t hurt me.”

 

“Right… a Demon.” Weiss echoed, her eyes as wide as saucers.

 

The last time she was that quick to sip from a hot drink she had to live on popsicles for the days following just to help ease the pain, so to see Ruby do it so effortlessly…It was making her second guess herself. She hated that all the signs pointed in the direction that she was desperately trying to run away from. Maybe she was so used to being lied to and kept in the dark that she failed to see the truth even when it was presented right before her. This girl came to her for help and she downright rejected her. Just because her claims were ludicrous and hard to believe didn’t necessarily mean that they weren’t true. 

 

Perhaps she could give Ruby a chance, as much as the reasonable part of herself fought against it. 

 

Pyrrha had said that people like her were dangerous, but she couldn’t sense any of that from Ruby. She seemed lost more than anything, her clothing alone suggesting a much deeper story that still has yet to be told. If Blake really had knowledge about this, then they could all figure it out together. She wanted a glimpse into this supposed world that she had been completely blind to. Besides, what harm could it do? If things spiralled further into the nonsense that she suspected, then she could simply call it quits and turn away.

 

“Why me?” She asked quietly and Ruby tilted her head in questioning as she chewed on her third cookie.

 

“Huh?”

 

“I mean, why did you choose to come to me for help? If what you say _is_ true, then how come you haven’t gone to anyone else?”

 

Ruby swallowed and wiped the cookie crumbs from her mouth with her bandaged arm, seeming to perk up at the notion that Weiss might finally be giving her the opportunity to explain herself.

 

“Oh! I, um, well you already know that I mistook you for an Angel. I had to stick around for a bit to figure that out, but the more I hung out with you, the sooner I realised that I had no one else to turn to. And… and I guess I felt safe when I was around you.” She rubbed the back of her neck and fidgeted on the spot. “It was like having a friend that you haven’t quite met yet. I couldn’t just turn away after being with you for so long.”

 

Weiss looked amused, “You do realise how creepy that sounds when you say it like that, right?”

 

Ruby chuckled and took another sip from her mocha, “Yeah yeah, I know. I’m sorry for putting you through all that stress by the way. It wasn’t fair of me. I tried desperately to get you to notice me, but nothing worked.”

 

Weiss frowned, “So, humans can’t see you?” 

 

Ruby nodded, “Humans only see what they want to see. They wrap themselves in their own little bubbles of safety and ignore the world that happens outside it. It’s safer that way, for them and for us.”

 

“Then how is it that I’m able to see you now?” Weiss asked as she leaned forward against the counter, not bothering to hide that she was intrigued.

 

“Because you finally opened your eyes and confronted your Demon.” Ruby said with a smile. “The need to know something is a powerful thing and you broke your bubble by confronting me. I was so happy because I knew it meant that I wouldn’t be alone. Until you, y’know, kicked me out of your house.”

 

“In my defense, what you said and continue to say honestly sounds like it’s from some sort of movie.” Weiss quipped, then another question struck her.

 

“What is so special about these Angels anyway? Why is it that you’re searching for one?” 

 

Ruby glanced down at her plate where the last cookie rested among the crumbs of its fallen brethren. Weiss could tell that she wanted to eat it, but seemed to be restraining herself as she considered the question.

 

“I need an Angel to make me human again.” She said quietly, the sudden shift in tone catching Weiss off guard. “And I don’t have much time to make it happen.”

 

“Again…” Weiss repeated, “So you weren’t always a Demon? And what do you mean you don’t have much time?” 

 

Ruby’s smile was thin and her shoulders sank a little, her eyes failing to lift from her plate. She seemed crestfallen. “Yeah, I only became a Demon a few months ago. Though down in Hell it felt like it was years since it happened.” She sat the plate down on the counter by Weiss’ crossed arms, “Right now I’m like a ticking time bomb. When the timer runs out, the human part of me goes away and I become a full Demon.” 

 

She watched as Ruby shivered, the mere thought alone making her uneasy. Then she continued.

 

“I have 2 months at most, 3 if I’m lucky. If I don’t find an Angel by then, well…” She shook her head, bringing herself out of whatever line of thought she was about to fall into, “No, I… I won’t let it come to that. I’ll find one by the end of it, I’m sure of it.”

 

Weiss stared at her, stunned by the newfound information. Just when pieces were coming together, they were just as quickly pulled apart. She didn’t know what it meant to become a full Demon, but if it shook Ruby up that easily then it couldn’t have been good.

 

“I see.” She said quietly, “So I suppose you’re planning to drag me along on the journey to find this Angel of yours?”

 

Ruby nodded, “It’d be nice not to go through all this alone, and I’m pretty sure an Angel would be more likely to turn me human again if a human were with me. It shows that I’m trustworthy.”

 

“And why is that?”

 

“Because any other Demon would have devoured your soul by now.” Ruby replied, raising her hands and twiddling her fingers as she bared her fangs.

 

Weiss snorted at the sight, “You are ridiculous.”

 

“It’s true though. Demons who come to the surface usually seek out human souls for consumption or to make a deceitful deal, unless you’re like me and still have your human traits.” She held out her hand and smiled, “So how about it? You wanna help me become human again?”

 

Weiss glanced at her hand and hummed, “On one condition.”

 

“Go for it.”

 

“When all this is over, you leave me alone. No more stalking me, no more breaking my property and most importantly, no more jumping in front of my car when I’m driving.”

 

“Consider it a deal.”

 

Weiss took a hold of Ruby’s hand and shook it, then yelped in surprise as searing hot pain shot through her. She yanked her hand back and cradled it to her chest as Ruby stared at her in surprise. The pain left as quickly as it had come and she looked at her palm where a symbol was now freshly burned into her skin, scarring her. It looked like two crosses intersecting each other.

 

“What,” she breathed, “The hell was that?”

 

“Hey your guess is as good as mine!” Ruby replied, holding her hands up defensively, “I had no control over this. It must be some Demon thing that I don’t know about.”

 

Weiss brushed her thumb over the symbol, glancing between it and Ruby, “I suppose I’ll add this to the pile of unexpected occurrences.” She uttered and Ruby smiled at her sheepishly.

 

They closed up shop and crossed the road to Weiss’ car. The bag that Ruby carried her cookie in rustled as she met every step with a bounce. It was strange bringing someone other than Blake home with her. There was a limited number of people in her life that proved themselves trustworthy of her companionship. She liked to take time to get to know her friends, to test their loyalty and see what was beneath the facade, yet here Ruby was throwing herself into her life as if they had been friends for years. She didn’t treat her with unfamiliarity and Weiss wasn’t quite sure on how to feel about that.

 

“Thanks again for letting me stay at your place.” Ruby said as she buckled her seatbelt. 

 

Weiss got in beside her, “Not like I had much of a choice considering that you refuse to leave until all this is over.”

 

She started up the car and they drove out onto the road. Ruby leaned her head against the window and brought her legs up, wrapping her arms around her scuffed combat boots. Weiss spared a few glances her way during the journey and by the time they got to the traffic lights, Ruby’s eyes had already closed. It seemed as if she wasn’t the only one who had gone a few nights without any sleep.

 

The sensation of the car stopping was what woke her up when they finally arrived at Weiss’ house. She pretended not to notice the drool that slickened Ruby’s chin and left her to wipe it off as she got out of the car and made her way into the house. Leadened footsteps followed her inside and she heard a soft ‘oomf’ as Ruby threw herself down on the couch in the living room. Weiss popped her head around the doorway as the younger girl wrapped her cloak around herself.

 

“You best get up right now before I drag you off that couch.” She warned.

 

“But Weiss, I’m tired.” Ruby whined, raising her head to look at her.

 

“Tired and _filthy_. Do you know how hard it is to clean pristine furniture? Come on, get up. You can go take a shower and I’ll give you some fresh clothes. We’ll change those bandages of yours and then you can go sleep in the guest room. Sound fair?”

 

Ruby mumbled something nonsensical and nodded as she stood up, the promise of a bed winning her over. She followed Weiss up the stairs to the bathroom, turning to her before she went in. She fidgeted with the chains on her wrist.

 

“Um, about my clothes… You can wash them for me, right?” She asked.

 

Weiss nodded, “Of course. I can have them clean by tomorrow.”

 

“And my cloak?”

 

“Yes, that shouldn’t be a problem either.”

 

The corners of Ruby’s lips curled up into a smile and she stepped forward, surprising Weiss with the warmest hug she had ever received. She stood rigid, her arms remaining awkwardly by her sides as she was overwhelmed by the sweet aroma of roses.

 

“Thank you, Weiss.” Her voice was gentle, sincere.

 

Ruby pulled back and silver eyes lingered on her for just a moment before she turned and hurried into the bathroom. It was only when the door clicked shut and the hallway darken did Weiss remember to breathe. 

 

She reached up, fingers brushing over her cheek, and scoffed at herself as she felt the warmth that radiated from it.

 

_Dolt._

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm, I’m not too sure on how to feel about this chapter. There’s something about it that doesn’t sit right with me? It’s the longest that I’ve wrote, yet it feels clumsy. I’m sorry for such an abrupt ending.
> 
> Still, I hope that you all enjoyed it!  
> Thank you for the support on the last chapter. The feedback was incredible (:


End file.
